Call Serve ringing you? Here is how to stop it

If you have just been called by Call Serve for a debt you barely remember, the most useful first step is to know two things: the calls can be stopped in writing under FCA rules, and Call Serve cannot force entry, take goods or arrest you. Call Serve is a phone-led UK contingent collector — they chase debts on behalf of the original creditor rather than buying them. This page sets out how to stop the calls, dispute the balance and, where eligible, write the debt off through an IVA.

Who Call Serve are

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Call Serve is a UK debt-collection business operating primarily by phone. They are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for consumer-credit collection and operate within the FCA’s CONC framework. Most UK collectors of consumer-credit debt are also members of the Credit Services Association, the trade body for the industry.

Because Call Serve is a contingent collector, the original creditor still owns the debt in most cases. That means:

• The underlying account is still your account with the original creditor
• Settlement decisions sometimes need to go via the original creditor rather than Call Serve
• If Call Serve fails to recover, the account is often handed back to the original creditor or sold on to a debt purchaser

Their first letter or call should name the original creditor. If it does not, write asking them to confirm — under CONC they must tell you who you actually owe.

Stop the calls — your CONC right

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The single most useful thing you can do with a phone-led collector is move the conversation to writing. Under the FCA’s CONC 7.9 rules, you have the right to require all future contact to be by post — not phone, not text, not email. Send Call Serve a short letter or email such as:

Dear Call Serve,

Re: Reference [number]

Please send all future correspondence on this account by post only. I do not consent to further telephone contact in connection with this matter.

Once received, Call Serve must comply. The debt does not disappear — but the calls stop, and you can deal with the matter on paper, where you can think and keep records.

What Call Serve can and cannot legally do

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Call Serve are debt collectors, not bailiffs. They can:

• Call you on numbers held by the original creditor
• Write to you and (occasionally) visit
• Recommend that the original creditor takes county-court action
• After a CCJ obtained by the creditor, support enforcement steps

They cannot force entry, take goods, threaten arrest, continue calling after a written stop request, or invent fees beyond the original credit agreement. If a Call Serve agent ever turns up at your door, you have no obligation to speak to them, let them in or sign anything.

Step 1 — confirm the debt is enforceable

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Before paying anything, send a CCA request under sections 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Enclose the £1 statutory fee, send it in writing and keep proof of postage. Until Call Serve and the original creditor produce the original signed credit agreement and notice of assignment (where relevant), the debt is legally unenforceable through the courts.

Step 2 — check whether the debt is statute-barred

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Most consumer debts in England and Wales become statute-barred under the Limitation Act 1980 once six years have passed since the last payment, written acknowledgement or court action. In Scotland the period is five years. Do not make a token payment to test the waters — even £1 can reset the limitation clock.

Step 3 — pick the route out

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If the debt is genuinely yours, recently incurred and within the limitation period:

• Pay the original creditor directly if you can identify them — often the simplest route
• Affordable monthly arrangement through Call Serve, based on the Standard Financial Statement
• IVA to combine Call Serve-handled debt with every other unsecured debt over a 5–6 year term, with the unpaid balance written off at completion. Eligibility starts at around £5,000 of total unsecured debt
• Debt Management Plan for situations where total debt is small enough to clear within a reasonable period
• Debt Relief Order for total debt under £50,000 with very low spare income
• Bankruptcy where no realistic monthly contribution is possible

Common pitfalls when dealing with Call Serve

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• Don’t agree anything important by phone. Get the offer in writing first
• Don’t ignore the underlying creditor. Call Serve is contingent — settling fully with Call Serve without confirmation that the debt is closed at source can leave a residual balance
• Don’t pay before checking dates. Statute-barred debts cannot be enforced
• Don’t share bank details over the phone unless you have independently verified the line

Frequently asked questions

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How do I stop Call Serve ringing? Send a written request that future contact is by post only. Under CONC 7.9, they must comply.

Are Call Serve bailiffs? No. They are debt collectors and have no enforcement powers at the door.

Will an IVA include my Call Serve debt? Yes. Call Serve debt is unsecured consumer credit and goes into an IVA like any other unsecured balance.

Can Call Serve take me to court? Only with the original creditor’s authorisation. As a contingent collector, they typically recommend court action rather than issuing it themselves.

Related guides

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• Do debt collectors give up?
• How long can I be chased for a debt?
• Can debt be written off?
• How do I apply for an IVA?